Man leaves dog to babysit while he goes to bar, deputies say

Deputies: 10-month-old left home alone

A Palm Coast man is charged with child neglect after sheriff's deputies said he left a pit bull to baby-sit a 10-month-old while he went out drinking.

James Irvine, 41, was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

According to investigators, the baby's mother left Irvine in charge while she went to work. The woman told investigators when she got home, Irvine was trying to get in the garage door and admitted he'd been at a bar.

Officials said Irvine told the baby's mother the baby wasn't alone, because the pit bull was watching him.

The dog was sitting outside the room, the door was shut and the baby was crying.